Reports indicate Turkey is to appoint an ambassador to Israel, suggesting a thaw after years of mutual antagonism.
Ankara, Turkey – Turkey’s fraught relationship with Israel could be on the mend, according to reports suggesting Ankara is to appoint the first ambassador to its Mediterranean counterpart in more than two and a half years.
News of the selection of a Jerusalem-educated appointee would mark the thawing of ties between the countries after years of antagonism and fiery rhetoric between Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to a report last week by Al-Monitor quoting “well-placed sources”, Ankara has picked Ufuk Ulutas to lead efforts to build bridges with Israel. Ulutas currently heads the foreign ministry’s research centre but is not a career diplomat, having previously led a pro-government think-tank.
He studied Hebrew and Middle East politics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, according to biographical details on the think-tank’s website.
Described as “very polished” and “very pro-Palestine” by sources quoted in the Al-Monitor report, Ulutas would face a tough task in repairing relations that have gone from bad to worse in recent years.
Source: aljazeera.com
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
